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Munich scraps plans to build Transrapid train line

by Anna Brones on Mar 27th 2008 at 11:20AM

It's always exciting to build fast and flashy transportation, so when plans were made last fall to build a Transrapid maglev train in Munich, the celebratory champagne flowed. But according to German sources, those plans have now been scrapped, and the high-speed train which was to connect the Munich train station and airport, will no longer materialize.

The Transrapid train was to be a magnetic levitation rail link; a high-speed monorail that moves uses magnetic levitation. The only other city to have such transportation is Shanghai. But fancy transportation comes with a price tag, and the originally projected 1.85 billion euros quickly rose to 3 billion. At that price, the German government, the state of Bavaria and companies involved decided to ditch the project.

Maglev technology is exciting -- Shanghai's is the fastest train in the world -- but unfortunately we will have to wait just a little longer before we see a European version.

Filed under: Germany, Transportation, News

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Justin Glow Mar 27th 2008 10:40AM

I can sort of understand that it was scrapped -- I mean, it took what? 40 minutes to get from the airport to the Hauptbahnhof? That's really not too bad.

Anna Brones Mar 27th 2008 10:43AM

yeah, but getting there on a high speed magnetic levitation train would have been so much cooler!

Armine Abrahamyan Mar 28th 2008 9:21AM

I think this project even though so expensive is a very good idea!

-armine

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